Corner guide system



p 4, 1963 N. H. SARLES 3,104,468

CORNER GUIDE SYSTEM Filed Sept. 27, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l r mm II V INVENTOR F1615 NOPMANHSARLES ATTORNEY Sept. 24, 1963 N. H. SARLES CORNER GUIDE SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1960 INVENTOR NORMAN H SARLES ATTORNEY United States Patent F 3,104,468 CORNER GUmE SYSTEM Norman H. Sarles, 106 Rippon Ave, Hillsdale, Mich. Filed Sept. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 58,306 4Claims. (Cl. 33-85) The invention relates to a corner guide system for use in masonry construction and pertains to a corner guide System which may be easily erected and removed from the working area and provides accurate guide means for the laying of masonry.

A guide line is normally employed in the laying up of masonry walls and structures to insure the accurate alignment of the bricks or blocks being used. Much of the time of the mason is employed, in conventional practice, with the erection and positioning of this guide line. The line must be accurately supported if it is to be of any value and must be moved with each course being laid. Many types of corner guide devices have been proposed for overcoming this objectionable and time-consuming operation in the masonry arts. However, in that many of the systems are more troublesome to employ than the conventional means of holding the line, corner guide systems have heretofore enjoyed little success. Heretofore known corner guide systems are also often limited in their usage and are not readily adaptable to the many circumstances encountered in the mason arts.

In the normal practice of supporting a guide line, the mason first constructs the corners of the structure to a point several courses above the running wall height and supports the guide line upon these higher corner portions. A high degree of skill is required in constructing the corners and necessitates the use of high cost labor.

It is a prime purpose of the invention to provide a corner guide system wherein the support and laying out of the guide line is relatively simple and does not require the high degree of skill necessary with known or conventional methods. In the use of the invention, the corners of the masonry are constructed at the same level as the running wall portions and the guide line elements are used in laying out the angle of the corner as well as determining the height of the courses thereof.

In the incorporating of relatively easy setup and operating procedures, the invention permits the guide system to be in position prior to the daily arrival of the highpriced masons. Thus, by the use of the invention wherein low-cost help may be used to tend and install the guide system, the cost of mason work is substantially reduced. Once the system is installed, the laying up of the masonry is substantially accelerated due to the very easy adjustment of the guide line from one course to the next and it is the applicants experience that very substantial time savings are realized upon using the invention in comparison with conventional masonry guide line practice.

Another object of the invention is to produce a corner guide system which consists of a relatively few number of specially constructed components and employs locally available materials as the primary support column.

A further object of the invention is to provide a masonry construction corner guide system wherein the system may be employed with corners of any degree, may be used on inside corners as well as outside corners and the system is highly accurate both in a vertical and horizontal direction.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a masonry construction corner guide system which may be employed with both veneer and open foundation work and wherein the guideline may be accurately checked before any masonry is laid.

These and other objects of the invention arising from the details and relationships of an embodiment thereof 3,ifi-4,468 Patented Stu-pt. 24, 1963 will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of one of the guide assemblies as employed with veneer construction,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cap element employed with the system of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the guide line ring and ring holder employed with the invention,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the column bracket in accord with the invention,

FIG. 5 is an elevational section view of the ring and ring holder taken along section VV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cap as used with open foundation work having guy rods afiixed thereto,

FIG. '7 is an elevational perspective view of the lower end of the guide column and the locating button used therewith in open foundation work and FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of an open foundation having outside and inside corners showing the utilization of the system.

The corner guide system of the invention consists of a plurality of guide assemblies 10, a guide assembly being employed at each corner of the structure being erected. The method of maintaining the guide assembly in position will vary, depending upon whether the masonry work is of the veneer type or is being laid upon an open foundation. FIG. 1 shows the guide assembly as employed with veneer work and FIGS. 6 through 8 disclose the invention employed with an open foundation.

Referring to FIG. 1, showing the corner guide assembly used with veneer work, the guide assembly 10 is shown as used with a brick masonry wall which is partially erected. The partially erected wall is shown at 12 wherein two intersecting walls definea right angle. The inner frame portion of the structure is represented at 14 and the roof of the structure is shown at 1-6 having an-overhang which extends beyond the plane of the masonry wall. A board 18 is temporarily fastened to the underside of the overhanging-roof portion to facilitate support of the guide assembly 10.

The guide assembly consists basically of a vertically extending column 29, which is preferably formed of conventional pipe, usually of 1 /2 inch internal diameter. Such pipe has suflicient strength characteristics for use with the invention and is locally available which eliminates the necessity for shipping the column Zilwith the other fittings of the assembly. The upperend ,of the column 20 is threaded, as with conventional pipe thread, and a cap 22 is threadily attached thereon. In the lower regions of the column a corner receiving bracket 24 is located having a pair of angularly disposed arms which either engage the foundation or the erected wall, as will be later described. Intermediate the cap 22 and bracket 24 a guide line holder 26 is mounted upon the column and is selectively vertically adjustablethereon. The cap 22 is hung from the board 18 by means of a lag screw or nail extending through a hole 28, FIG. 2, formed in the cap. After the cap is secured to the board 18, the column may be threaded thereinto andhung therefrom. It will be noted that the upper surface of the cap is pro vided with a plurality of projections 2% which embed into the board 18 and prevent relative rotation of the cap to the board.

The lower bracket 24 employed with the assembly 19 of the invention is best illustrated in FIG. 4 and includes an annular ring portion 3i) which circumscribes the colurnn 2i) and may be axially positioned thereon. A pair of thumb screws 32 are threaded into perpendicularly disposed threaded holes within the ring whereby the ring 30 may be selectively looked upon the column. A pair of angularly disposed arms 34 project from the periphery 3 of the ring 30. The arms 34 are disposed at angles to each other, defining a right angle intersection and the inside of each arm is provided with a recessed portion 36 adjacent its outer end and a thumb screw 38 is located within the threaded holes within each arm for a purpose which will be later described.

Upon initially installing the column, as shown in FIG. 1, the bracket 24 will be located in the lowermost position illustrated in dotted lines wherein the arms 34 will engage a corner of the foundation 40 of the structure upon which the veneer work will be taking place. The lag screw associated with the cap 22 is initially located by means of a plumb bob relative to the foundation, as desired, wherein upon hanging the assembly from the cap as described above, the operator may, by means of a hand level and the thumb screws 38, position the lower end of the-column such that the column will be in an absolutely vertical relationship and spaced the desired distance from the wall line.

The line guide employed with the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 and consists of a guide ring holder 26 of cylindrical configuration which is adapted to circumscribe the column and is axially positionable thereon. A thumb screw 42 extends through the locking ring whereby the ring may be selectively positioned upon the column intermediate the cap 22 and bracket 24. The upper portion of the guide ring holder 26 is annularly recessed as at 44, FIG. 5, and a line ring 46 is rotatably received with this recess. Line ring 46 is formed with an annular peripheral groove 48 which receives the guide line. It will, therefore, be appreciated that the line ring 46 will rotate upon the guide ring holder 26 and this construction is preferable over having the line ring directly rotatable upon the column 20 in that the manufacturing tolerances of conventional piping vary and, hence, the desired construction always insures an accurate positioning of the line ring upon the column. The guide holder ring 26 is preferably provided with a line anchor 50 on the periphery thereof to which the end of the line may be attached.

In use, a guide assembly 10 will be located at each corner of the structure and the guide line 52 will be anchored at one end at one of the holders 26 and passed around the groove 48 of an adjacent column supported line holder and passed from that column to the next adjacent column around the groove 48 thereof and likewise completely around the structure being veneered. The column 20 is located with respect to the foundation 40 such that, on outside corners, the passing of the line 52 upon the inside of the column and about the groove 48 for 270 so it leaves the column on the inside thereof at right angles to the line as it approaches the guide line ring 46 forms a right angle having an apex located in the proper relationship to the desired corner of the masonry. In this manner, an exact right angle guide line relationship is accomplished in a simplified manner. After the guide line 52 is located in the groove 48 of all of the line rings 46, the line may be tensioned and the rotatable support of the rings 46 permits such tensioning to take place and insures that all of the portions of the line will be placed under equal tension. After tensioning of the line, the line may be secured by wrapping the same about the line anchor 50 holding the other end of the line.

It is the tension Within the guide line 52 that holds the bracket 24 in engagement with the foundation and insures that the column 20 will be held in its proper respect to the structure. As will be apparent from FIGS. 2 and 4, the cap is provided with a projection 54 having a slot 56 therein and a thumb screw 58 which intersects the slot 56. The slot 56 receives a masons scale 60, FIG. 1, and the thumb screw permits the scale to be locked Within the bracket portion 54. The bracket 24 is provided with a similar projection 62 having a slot 64 and thumb screw 66 for receiving the other end of the scale. Preferably, the scale is of the type which is spirally stored within a housing and may be extended or retracted as desired. The scale is thus associated with the column, cap and bracket 24 as shown in FIG. .1 and permits the mason to accurately locate the guide line in the proper vertical location for each course of bricks being laid. Once the line has been tensioned and properly vertically located, the mason may begin laying the bricks and upon laying 7 each course thereof, will raise the guide line merely by unloosening thumb screw 42 and sliding the guide line holder up on the column 2% to the desired position which would be indicated upon the scale 69.

After several courses of brick have been laid, it is usually desirable to raise the bracket 24 upon the column 20 to decrease the supported distance between the cap and bracket which will prevent deflection of the column 20 due to the line tension as the line becomes spaced a v I greater distance from the bracket 24. Upon loosening the thumb screws 32 the bracket 24 may be moved vertically to a position such, that the screws within arms 34 will; engage the corner of laid brickwork and the thumb screws 38 are adjusted to insure that the column is vertically positioned. This position of the bracket 24 is shown in the full lines of FIG. 1. The guide line 52 may be theref fore moved vertically as desired to complete the veneer work. i

The invention may also be used with open foundation work and in such an application, different support means must be used for the column 20 in that no structure exists from which the column may be hung.

formed in the ends thereof, FIGS. 2. and 6. The purpose of the ears 68 is to permit the attachment of guy rods 72 to the cap 22. The guy rods 72 may be of any desired configuration and would normally consist of a pair of telescopical rods which may be selectively telescoped and The lower end of the guy;

i of a circular button 74 which is of a diameter as to be closely received within the internal bore of the column. The button '74 is provided with a central hole through which a cement nail 76 may be employed to nail the button to the foundation 71 directly, or to a board or.

other stationary object which is properly located. The

button 74 will usually be located first upon the foundation and the adjustment of the telescopic guy rods 74 v is preferably employed to obtain the vertical alignment of the column 20 with the aid of a level. With open foundation work, the bracket M will not usually be employed and the guide line ring holder 26 will be positioned by other means rather than the scale 60. For instance,- a level point may be determined on each column 20 by a transit or telescopic level and temporary marks may, be made on the columns by means of a scale to determine the position of holder 26 for each course of blocks. It will be noted that upon employing the invention with an inside corner as shown at 78 the invention may be easily adapted to this configuration in that the guy rods 72 may be attached directly to the foundation 71 at, their lower ends by means of cement nails or similar fasteners.

Also,fi desired, the guy rods of the outside corners may be fastened directly to the foundation as illustrated at 80. This is accomplished merely by relating the cars- 68 of, the cap 22 to the foundation as desired and the method of anchoring the guy rods is left to the discretion 7 of the operator.

When using the guide system of the invention with veneer work upon an inside corner, it will be apparent that the tension of the line cannot be employed to maintain the column in position as with an outside corner guide To this end, the column cap 22 is provided with a pair of radially ex-- tending right angularly disposed cars 68 having holes 70 and, thus, a button similar to that shown in FIG. 7 is employed to anchor the bottom of the column by fastening a wood block to the foundation 40 and nailing the button to the block.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the invention discloses a corner guide system wherein the system may be easily erected and assembled and does not require skilled manpower for the assembly. The system is readily available and economically feasible due to its use of locally obtainable pipe for the primary support column and only the cap, ring holder and ring element for the guide line, bracket, button and guy rods need to be supplied. It will also be appreciated that the guy rods may be locally manufactured or light piping may be used for these elements.

In that the support of the columns of the system is readily achieved, the setup time is not objectionably long and more than compensates for the time saved in the actual construction of the masonry. As the bracket 24 and the guide line holder 25 may be infinitely axially adjusted upon the column 20 the system may be readily used with any type of masonry work and has a flexibility which is not to be found with known guide systems.

It is appreciated that other embodiments of the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is intended that the invention be defined only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a guide system for masonry constructions, a vertically disposed support column, support means operatively associated with the upper and lower regions of said column supporting said column in a vertical position, a guide line holder base member embracing said column and vertically positionable thereon, locking means mounted on said base member engageable with said column for selectively locking said base member thereto, a cylindrical bearing surface defined on said base member circumscribing said column, a cylindrical ring rotatably journaled on said bearing surface and a circular guide line receiving portion defined on the outer periphery of said ring concentric to said bearing surface whereby upon the proper positioning of said column said circular line receiving portion will be substantially tangential to two intersecting course lines.

2. In a guide system for masonry constructions, a length of conventional cylindrical pipe constituting a vertically disposed column, said pipe being exteriorly threaded at its upper end, a cap, threads defined on said cap associating with said pipe threads afiixing said cap upon the upper end of said column, a fastener receiving opening defined in said cap coaxially related to said column, a pair of cars integrally defined upon and extending radially from said cap perpendicularly related to each other and each adapted to be selectively affixed to a guy pole, a guide bracket having a cylindrical column receiving bore defined therein slidably mounted upon said column, locking means mounted on said guide bracket selectively locking said bracket to said column, a pair of perpendicularly disposed arms affixed to said guide bracket defining a right angle within a plane perpendicular to the axis of said column, adjusting screws threadedly associated with said arms lying within said plane and perpendicularly disposed to the associated arm, a guide line holder selectively axially positionable on said column intermediate said cap and bracket and locking means mounted on said holder selectively fixing said holder with respect to said column.

3. In a guide system for masonry constructions, a vertically supported column, a cap a-flixed to the upper end of said column, fastener receiving means defined on said cap coaxially related to said column permitting said cap to be aflixed to an overhead support and hung therefrom, a guide bracket mounted on said column for selective axial positioning thereon, locking means mounted on said guide racket selectively locking said bracket to said column, a pair of perpendicularly disposed arms afilxed to said guide bracket defining a right angle within a plane perpendicular to the axis of said column, adjusting screws threadedly associated with said arms lying within said plane and perpendicularly disposed to the associated arm, a guide line holder selectively axially positionable on said column intermediate said cap and bracket, locking means mounted on said holder selectively fixing said holder with respect to said column, conventional tape scale holding means mounted on said cap and said guide bracket, said scale holding means including a projection defined on said cap and guide bracket, a slot defined in said projection defining a plane substantially parallel to the axis of said column, and screw clamp means mounted in said projection adapted to intersect said slot.

4. In a guide system for masonry constructions, a vertically supported column, a cap affixed to the upper end of said column, fastener receiving means defined on said cap coaxially related to said column permitting said cap to be affixed to an overhead support and hung therefrom, a guide bracket mounted on said column for selective axial positioning thereon, locking means mounted on said guide bracket selectively locking said bracket to said column, a pair of perpendicularly disposed arms affixed to said guide bracket defining a right angle Within a plane perpendicular to the axis of said column, adjusting screws threadedly associated with said arms lying within said plane and perpendicularly disposed to the associated arm, a guide line holder selectively axially positionable on said column intermediate said cap and bracket, locking means mounted on said holder selectively fixing said holder with respect to said column, said guide line holder including a base member embracing said column adapted to be fixed to said column upon actuation of the locking means associated therewith, a cylindrical bearing surface formed on said base member circumscribing said column, and a cylindrical line receiving ring rotatably mounted on the cylindrical surface of said base member, said ring having an annular guide line receiving groove concentric to said bearing surface defined in the outer periphery thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,612,516 Lampert Dec. 28, 1926 1,897,682 Souders Feb. 14, 1933 1,909,267 Golt May 16, 1933 2,623,289 Kampel Dec. 30, 1952 2,656,608 Craig et al. Oct. 27, 1953 2,761,214 Ruble Sept. 4, 1956 2,770,886 Johnson Nov. 20, 1956 

4. IN A GUIDE SYSTEM FOR MASONRY CONSTRUCTIONS, A VERTICALLY SUPPORTED COLUMN, A CAP AFFIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID COLUMN, FASTENER RECEIVING MEANS DEFINED ON SAID CAP COAXIALLY RELATED TO SAID COLUMN PERMITTING SAID CAP TO BE AFFIXED TO AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT AND HUNG THEREFROM, A GUIDE BRACKET MOUNTED ON SAID COLUMN FOR SELECTIVE AXIAL POSITIONING THEREON, LOCKING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE BRACKET SELECTIVELY LOCKING SAID BRACKET TO SAID COLUMN, A PAIR OF PERPENDICULARLY DISPOSED ARMS AFFIXED TO SAID GUIDE BRACKET DEFINING A RIGHT ANGLE WITHIN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF SAID COLUMN, ADJUSTING SCREWS THREADEDLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ARMS LYING WITHIN SAID PLANE AND PERPENDICULARLY DISPOSED TO THE ASSOCIATED ARM, A GUIDE LINE HOLDER SELECTIVELY AXIALLY POSITIONABLE ON SAID COLUMN INTERMEDIATE SAID CAP AND BRACKET, LOCKING 